Slow Cooker Recipes for a Traditional Thanksgiving Dinner

We all know the convenience of using a slow cooker any old day of the week, but on a holiday like Thanksgiving, when you can plan on being in the kitchen for the bulk of the day, invoking the slow cooker allows you more free time to spend with friends and family.

Many traditional Thanksgiving recipes can be easily transferred to a slow cooker, including mashed potatoes, sweet potato casserole, green bean casserole, stuffing and even a turkey breast.

So round up your family’s slow cookers in advance, set a schedule of start times for each recipe, and enjoy the day and its scrumptious smells without hardly lifting another finger.

Turkey

While you can’t put a whole bird in a slow cooker, a small turkey breast will fit nicely—and if you’re having a smaller crowd, might be plenty. Just be sure to start the cooking early, as it takes eight hours to cook.

Ingredients:

3-lb. turkey breast on the bone

1 head of garlic, cut in half

1 medium yellow onion, sliced into 4 chunks

a few sprigs each of your favorite fresh herbs, such as thyme and rosemary

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon paprika

salt and pepper to taste

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

Directions:

Place turkey breast in slow cooker on top of garlic and onion

Sprinkle garlic powder, paprika, salt and pepper on top of bird, rubbing under the skin if you wish

Drizzle olive oil on top of seasoned bird and rub into skin

Bundle fresh herbs and add to the cooker

Cover and cook on low for 8 hours (check after 7)

Tip: For a quick gravy, remove turkey from slow cooker and strain the remaining veggies. Skim the fat from the top of the liquid and bring to a boil in a saucepan. Mix a tablespoon of cornstarch with 1/2 a cup of milk and slowly add mixture to pan until sauce thickens to your desired consistency. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Mashed Potatoes

Forget boiling and straining potatoes—the ease of making mashed potatoes in the slow cooker will make it your go-to method! If you wish, add your favorite herbs before serving.

Directions:

Heat butter in a large pan over medium-high heat and sauté onions, celery and garlic until the vegetables are soft, about 10 minutes

Add fresh herbs to the pan and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes, then remove from heat

Place bread cubes in slow cooker and gently add the vegetables

Combine eggs, stock, salt and pepper, then add to slow cooker and stir to combine

Cover and cook for 3 to 4 hours on low

Tip: Make it your own! Cooked ground sausage, cubed apples or chopped nuts all make great additions. Just add 1 cup of your chosen ingredient to the mixture before cooking.

Green Bean Casserole

Fun fact: The classic green bean casserole has had a place at the Thanksgiving table for more than 60 years! The slow cooker was invented 15 years earlier, so it’s no surprise that the oven-baked recipe was quickly adapted for the slow cooker to free up oven space, which is in such high demand on the holiday. Our recipe calls for frozen beans, but you can use fresh or (drained) canned beans if you wish, so long as you adjust liquids and cooking time accordingly.

Ingredients:

18-oz. package frozen green beans

10-oz. can cream of mushroom soup

1-1/2 cups French fried onions

3/4 cup milk

pepper to taste

Directions:

Reserve half of the onions, then mix all of the ingredients in the slow cooker

Cover and cook on high for 4 hours or on low for 6 to 8 hours

Spread the remaining onions over the top of the casserole and serve or leave on warm in the slow cooker

Sweet Potato Casserole

Sweet potato recipes call for various toppings. We’re partial to the crumbly, sweet pecan topping below, but if you prefer a gooey marshmallow topping (or if you’re serving someone with a nut allergy), skip the pecan mixture. Instead, after the given cook time, top with mini marshmallows and cook for 5 to 10 minutes longer on low, or until the marshmallows have melted.

Ingredients:

5 medium to large sweet potatoes

2 cups chicken broth

1/4 cup cubed butter, plus 1/3 cup melted butter

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1 teaspoon vanilla

1-1/2 cups brown sugar, divided

1/3 cup flour

1 cup chopped pecans

Directions:

Peel sweet potatoes and cut into 1-inch cubes

Place sweet potatoes in slow cooker and add chicken broth and the cubed butter

Cover and cook on high for 3 hours, then mash with a potato masher

Add eggs, vanilla and 1 cup of the brown sugar to slow cooker and stir

In a small bowl, mix the remaining 1/2 cup of brown sugar, melted butter, flour and pecans